in edmonton

i arrived home on wednesday night - wow, time really does seem to whiz by here. since coming back, i've felt a little out of place. life is very different here (naturally); to me, it is quite idyllic - a happy, safe, prosperous place where people can settle down and lead bliss-filled lives.

i really enjoy edmonton, especially my dear, dear friends. the weather in the summer is quite lovely and is paired with verdant scenery to boot. i am a frigid-loving fellow, and so even the incessant sea of white (and white-brown) that visits us every winter i find quite enjoyable. you could really settle here and lead quite a happy, happy life.

alas, i think it is important not to forget the deserts beyond the oasis. this i must tell myself as much or more than i would admonish others. when i was in zambia, i met some folks who felt that they found their niche in that society. it was a place that they naturally clicked with, that made them feel emotionally fulfilled. this isn't me: i am emotionally fulfilled where my friends are, but i am logically drawn to faraway places.

i think my travels have shifted me a few points in the direction of the latter and away from the former. i think this is something that is important to do if doing extended work in different locales is what i want to do